Between triple-digit heat and scant rainfall, summer has officially arrived with a vengeance — along with landscape watering restrictions for the first time since 2018.
Stage 1 of the city’s water management plan is triggered when the 10-day average of the Edwards Aquifer at the J-17 monitoring well drops to 660 feet or below. According to the city’s Aquifer Management Plan ordinance, coming out of drought stages can be considered 15 days after the aquifer is above the trigger level.
In Stage 1, outdoor watering with a sprinkler or irrigation system is allowed only before 11 a.m. and after 7 p.m., one day per week, as determined by the last number of your street address:
- 0 or 1 Monday
- 2 or 3 Tuesday
- 4 or 5 Wednesday
- 6 or 7 Thursday
- 8 or 9 Friday
- No watering on weekends
In Stage 2, watering hours are from 7-11 a.m. or 7-11 p.m. Watering days begin and end at midnight, so no overnight watering is allowed. But you can hand-water with a hose-end nozzle, drip irrigation or bucket any day and time.
To find out the current stage, tune in to your favorite local TV weather forecast or visit saws.org/WhenToWater.
SAWS is reminding customers that one deep, weekly watering is actually better for your lawn than watering less over multiple days, keeping your landscape healthy and helping you save on your water bill.
Here’s a tip: Set your irrigation controller to Stage 2 watering times now. By watering during mostly daylight hours, you can keep an eye out for broken sprinkler heads before they cause a big jump in your water bill.
Visit GardenStyleSA.com for weekly watering amounts and landscaping tips to keep your yard looking great using less water.
